Harold Howard
| weight = | weightclass = | reach = | style = Iki Shin Do, Goju-ryu, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Judo | stance = | fightingoutof= | team = | rank = | yearsactive = | mmawins = 2 | mmakowins = 1 | mmasubwins = | mmadecwins = | mmalosses = 3 | mmakolosses = | mmasublosses = | mmadeclosses = | mmadraws = | mmancs = | Attempted Murders = 2 | url = | sherdog = | footnotes = | updated = }} Harold Howard (born 1958) is a Canadian martial artist who earned a blackbelt in Jiu-Jitsu under O-Sensei Steve Reynolds and in Goju-ryu karate under Yogi Israel and was the first World Sport Jiu-Jitsu Heavyweight Champion in 1984. Howard is considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter in recent history. Howard is more widely known for competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he made it to the final of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's third tournament. Howard is also well known for once executing a scissor-flip kick similar to that of Japanese pro wrestler Jyushin Lyger during his battle with Steve Jennum in the UFC 3 finals. Biography Howard grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He began training at age 17 with O-Sensei Steve Reynolds in Jiu-Jitsu Kai. Harold moved to Niagara Falls in 1983 and taught Karate and Jiu Jitsu at James Morden School and the YMCA. Harold opened his Action Karate and Jui Jitsu Centre (as the Niagara Fighting Griffin Fitness and Martial Arts) in 1984 and has excelled both as a competitor and as a trainer/coach having various students among the top Sport Karate and Sport Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world. Martial Arts Degrees Howard has earned a 4th degree in Iki Shin Do (Sensei John Anderson), 3rd degree in Jui Jitsu Kai (O-Sensei Steve Reynolds), 3rd degree in Goju Kai (Sensei Yogi Israel) and a 2nd degree in Chito-Ryu (Sensei Monty Guest). He is the founder of the Katsudo-te-Jitsu style and is a 6th Degree - 2 grades above his highest ranking students. Sport Jiu-Jitsu In 1984, Harold was the first Canadian Heavyweight Sport Jiu-Jitsu Champion and represented Canada in the first world jiu-jitsu championships sanctioned by the World Council of Jiu-Jitsu Organizations (WCJO). At the 1984 World Championships, he was a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team (heavyweight) and also won the individual World Heavyweight Jiu-Jitsu Championship as the gold medal winner of the mens heavyweight fighting division. Sport Karate Howard captured the Canadian Heavy Weight Karate Championship three times in 1982, 1983 and 1984 and was a member of the Canadian National Karate team in 1986 and 1987. During that time he was the top rated sport karate fighter in Canada. After career ending back surgery in 1988, Howard made his return to compition in 1992 (at 34) and won a silver medal at the NBL (National Blackbelt League) World Championships in Sport Karate. He was undefeated entering the finals but had to bow out of the final 2 matches to due to injury. Mixed martial arts Howard's first professional bout was in UFC 3: The American Dream, where his first opponent was Roland Payne. He scored a KO in 46 seconds and went on to face the feared Brazilian, Royce Gracie, who threw in the towel before the contest due to exhaustion from his previous bout. Howard then advanced to the finals of the tournament, since there were no other opponents for Howard to face (the two alternate competitors for the card were already being utilized to replace the injured Ken Shamrock and Keith Hackney). Howard faced Steve Jennum in the finals. Jennum was an alternate on the card, replacing Ken Shamrock, which meant that Jennum was placed in the finals of the tournament without having to win a single match. Howard would lose to Jennum due to strikes at 1:27. After the fight, an unusually upbeat Howard said during an interview, "Well, I told you, if it worked it worked. But it did and I didn't. So in the end it didn't."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaqUIO1d6jw Harold Howard Post Match Interview Following his loss to Jennum, he succumbed to two more losses against Mark Hall and Hugo Duarte, both due to submission (strikes). His professional career was cut short by injury after only two years.http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/harold-howard-where-is-he-now-16216 Harold Howard: Where Is He Now? At the weigh in to UFC Fight Night 20, Tom Lawlor paid tribute to Howard, imitating an axe kick which the former threw against Jennum, as well as his trademark saying "If you're coming on, come on!" Personal life Harold is married with three children, two sons and a daughter. Currently, Howard does roofing jobs while still operating a small school—Howard’s Self-Defense Systems in Niagara Falls, Ontario. On December 22, 2009 Howard was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a weapon, attempted breaking and entering, failure to remain, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, mischief and two counts breach of recognizance after being captured by police and crashing his car into the Fallsview Casino.http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2232722 Mixed martial arts record References External links * *http://www.mmafighting.com/interviews/peterodley.html Category:Canadian mixed martial artists Category:Living people Category:1958 births